Global Travel & Tourism Partnership 2015 Research United Kingdom Case Study Sustainable Adventure Tourism Students: Richard Mcerlean Roberto Manuel Tutor: Debbie Abrey Contents page: 1. Acknowledgements 2. Introduction 3. Case study 4. What is Adventure Tourism? 5. Types of Adventure 6. Green Tourism 7. Go Ape 8 Haggis Adventure 9. Nevis Range 10. Wilderness Scotland 11. Global Growth of Adventure Tourism 12. Growth of Adventure Tourism in the UK 13. Technology Advance 14. Conclusion 15. Teacher’s Guidance 1. Acknowledgements We want to express our thank you to the GTTP, for letting us represent our country as well as our amazing college and our Tutor who has always supported us in the good and bad moments. We would also like to thank a few companies we have had the privilege of showing you and which without their help we wouldn’t been able to complete this research. We would also like to thank the following organisations for their help during out research… We thank Visit Scotland for their overview article We thank them for helping us in our research Jerome Mayhew (Managing director of Go Ape) We thank them for helping us in our research Marian Austin Managing Director at Nevis Range Development co ltd 2. Introduction When we think of the UK we automatically think of English tea, countryside, history and culture, we don’t think of adventure tourism or sustainability however major operators such as PGL, Exodus, Headwater holidays and Explore, all feature the United Kingdom as an adventure destination, Visit Scotland alone has around 119 sports companies listed. The companies cover 47 activities ranging from skiing and hiking to sphering and skydiving. It is noted that adventure tourism is split into two categories, Hard and soft tourism. Statistics taken from the tourism alliance shows that the UK tourism market total revenue from tourists in 2013 was estimated at £125.7bn, most of the income coming from day visitors (54.0bn), however the value of the tourism to the UK economy is £126.9bn which makes up 9.0% of the gross domestic product. Our research will be focusing on adventure tourism and sustainability in the UK, we have contacted a number of major tourist companies which include Haggis adventures, Go Ape and Zip world that provide sustainable adventure activities. In the UK tourism is predicted to grow and adventure tourism will play a part in this growth. 3. Case Study In this case study about sustainable adventure tourism in our region, the United Kingdom, we have conducted research on the growth and sustainability of adventure tourist activities. This case study explores the degree of which established visitor attractions embody the principals of sustainability on their operations, while promoting the UK as an adventure tourism destination. The case study is published upon sources taken from the companies themselves and communication with members from their teams. The organisations we have chosen represent how different companies contribute in making UK adventure tourism more sustainable. The organisations are recognised at both local and national levels for their contribution to the promotion of sustainable tourism, the fore organisations are: Go Ape One of the UK’s fastest growing outdoor adventure tourist parks, with 54 outdoor adventure sites nation-wide. Wilderness Scotland Scotland’s number one for adventure tourism, winning both “Green Tourism gold” award and “best adventure travel company” Nevis Range A government run organisation based in the Scotland highlands offering adventure tourist mountain sports, mountain biking and much more. Haggis Adventures A family run organisation which provides tourists with adventure coach trips around Scotland’s highlands as well as offering experiences. 4. Brief story of Adventure Tourism Humans have been engaging in adventurous travel for hundreds of years via exploration by the like of Marco Polo, Captain James Cook, and Sir Ernest Shackleton, who had primarily scientific, geographic, or colonial motives. However, commercial adventure travel is a relatively new phenomenon, in which travellers hire a professional guide to provide a range of technical support and equipment, as well as culture and nature interpretation. In the mid-1800s, adventurers began to push the limits of mountain climbing and river rafting, with the first ascent of the Matterhorn in 1865 and descent of the Colorado River in 1869. Shortly thereafter, two key institutions were formed. The National Geographic Society was formed in to increase and diffuse geographic knowledge” and the Explorers Club was formed in 1904 to “promote the scientific exploration of land, sea, air, and space”. Both institutions continue to support adventures and expeditions today. Today, Adventure Tourism is a vibrant, dynamic, and fast-changing sector with new variants routinely added into the possible experiences. Individual companies are often small, owner- operated businesses led by entrepreneurs with a drive to share their favourite places and passions with others. Adventure offers opportunities to entrepreneurs in rural areas around the world to do the same. 69% of overall international travel departures leave from Europe, North America, South America, and together these three regions account for over USD 263 billion in adventure travel expenditures. WHAT IT IS: Tourism is one of the most rapidly growing sectors in the world, and adventure tourism is one of its fastest growing categories. Increasingly, countries in all stages of economic development are prioritising adventure tourism for market growth, because they recognise it has ecological, cultural, and economic value. To date no definition of adventure tourism exists in UNWTO ( the world tourism organisation) literature, however the adventure travel trade association (ATTA) defines adventure tourism as a trip that includes at least two of the following three elements: physical activity natural environment, and cultural immersion, while the definition of adventure tourism only requires two of these components, trips incorporating all three tend to afford tourists the fullest adventure travel experience – for example, a trip to Peru that involved trekking (physical activity) through the Machu Picchu trail ( natural environment) and genuine interaction with local residents and indigenous peoples (cultural immersion). Adventure tourism can be domestic or international, and like all travel, it must include an overnight stay, but not last longer than one year. 5. Types of Adventure Tourism There are two main categories of adventure activities, hard adventure or soft adventure, and vigorous debate often surrounds which activities belong in each category. The easiest way to identify an adventure trip as hard or soft adventure is by its primary activity. Both hard and soft adventures are highly lucrative segments of the adventure tourism sector. The cost of just the permit to summit Mt. Everest, a hard adventure activity, is estimated to be USD 11,000 per person for 2015. When all of the other factors are added in, such as training, gear, airfare, tour guides, etc., the average total cost to summit Mt. Everest will be about USD 48,000 per person. A few examples of different adventure activities are: Zip lining Skydiving Animal encounters Caving Bungee jumping Paragliding Biking Scuba Diving Hiking Surfing Fishing 6. What is Sustainable tourism? There are many different interpretations of sustainable tourism however the most common definition is that sustainable tourism is tourism that avoids damage to the environment, economy and culture of the destinations we visit, enjoying the world without compromising it. Statement taken from National Parks Authority, Wales “(Sustainable tourism) is any form of development, management or tourist activity which ensures the long term protection and preservation of natural, cultural and social resources and contributes in a positive and equitable manner to the economic development and well- being of individuals living, working or staying in protected areas.” European charter for sustainable tourism What makes an adventure tourism destination sustainable? Sustainable travel encourages a manageable number of visitors into a destination, so that less damage is done to the environment, and people will continue to want to visit, which means local people can find long term careers in tourism, so that people can remain in rural areas and live traditional lifestyles. Our research will look at destinations as well as operators in the UK that offer adventure tourism and look at their sustainable polices. This will include contacting the national tourist organisations such as Visit Britain and Visit Scotland. Sustainable tourism certification Certification from a green certification scheme demonstrates to customers and potential customers that the business is genuinely sustainable. Visit England has a number of schemes to ensure they assess businesses to a high standard and only promote those who are truly sustainable. Each scheme has a rigorous verification process and will fully assess the green credentials of the business Green tourism business scheme The green tourism scheme is a UK based organisation, the scheme is the largest certification of its kind, assessing hundreds of tourist activities and organisations each year. The green tourism scheme consists of 3 awards bronze, silver and gold, each activity, organisation is ranked from this. Bronze Typically has some ethical or green purchasing such as fair trade coffee and some local sourcing,